Sets out to prove it is possible to create a garden for the whole family to enjoy - one which combines mystery, adventure and exhilaration for children, while simultaneously appearing stylishly designed and planted for the grown-ups - even in a small space and on a tight budget.
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Review
Review from BBC Good Homes - This brilliant book is packed with everything from how to build a treehouse to creating a mini golf course, all in a handy ring-bound finish. --BBC Good Homes
--This text refers to the
Spiral-bound
edition.
About the Author
Bunny Guinness is at the peak of the garden design profession and proud owner of 5 gold medals from the Chelsea Flower Show. She has a degree in horticulture and is a qualified Landscape Architect. Since setting up her own practice in 1986, her work has taken her all over the world and has ranged from designing family gardens to landscaped grounds for hospitals and offices. She has appeared regularly on TV and radio. Bunny lives in Cambridgeshire, UK.
--This text refers to the
Spiral-bound
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Spiral-bound
While I cannot deny that this is a beautifully photographed book, with some idyllic suggestions for children's outdoor play spaces, I was very disappointed to find it wholly impractical for what you might call the 'everyday garden'. I chose to buy this book, out of the numerous other guides to family gardening on offer, based on the previous two reviews - which I think miss out on some crucial points. Yes, I could build a willow teepee, or a sandpit, and the stone sink barbecue is fabulous and I'm going to attempt one this weekend, but without an available woodland, ancient tree, terrace or orchard, I would say that 75% of this book is but a pipe dream for me to indulge myself in. My own garden is not particularly small, but neither is it particularly large, and even the 'small city garden' suggestions (with a pool and summerhouse on stilts) are more ambitious in scale than most city - or even town- gardens I know could seek to adopt.
I've got an ordinary rectangular plot backing onto a Victorian cottage, a reasonable size patio, maybe 25 ft of lawn and a stone outbuilding, so I have some scope to play with even if it's a little limited -and I will certainly be attempting to recreate some of the more modest projects in 'Family Gardens'. However, this isn't the 'one stop shop' book I was hoping for... I'll need to carry on looking to find ideas that I can realistically recreate in my little bit of England's green and pleasant land. I can't fault the magic of this book, or the quality of its images and text, but I think the statement 'Whatever the size of your outdoor space...' is just a bit misleading. If I had seen this in a bookshop, I would have picked it up with interest, felt rather excited flicking through, but ultimately returned it to the shelf realising the fantasy treehouses, wild flower meadows and water gardens were, sadly, just out of my league.
I've got an ordinary rectangular plot backing onto a Victorian cottage, a reasonable size patio, maybe 25 ft of lawn and a stone outbuilding, so I have some scope to play with even if it's a little limited -and I will certainly be attempting to recreate some of the more modest projects in 'Family Gardens'. However, this isn't the 'one stop shop' book I was hoping for... I'll need to carry on looking to find ideas that I can realistically recreate in my little bit of England's green and pleasant land. I can't fault the magic of this book, or the quality of its images and text, but I think the statement 'Whatever the size of your outdoor space...' is just a bit misleading. If I had seen this in a bookshop, I would have picked it up with interest, felt rather excited flicking through, but ultimately returned it to the shelf realising the fantasy treehouses, wild flower meadows and water gardens were, sadly, just out of my league.
39 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is inpirational. It is overflowing with wonderfull ideas to make your garden a place for everyone. From topiary to treehouses, from barbecues to borders - this book discusses everything you may ask, and a lot more besides. it doesn't matter on the size or shape or location of your garden, 'Family Gardens' address all. With beautiful photographs, wonderful yet simple diagrams, and an easy reading style Bunny Guinness has created a fabulous must have.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Bunny Guinness writes from personal experience about the joys and difficulties of making a garden, not just for children, but the whole family, to enjoy. We've had enormous fun planting a few dead sticks in a circle and watching them grow into a real live willow wigwam, based on an idea in the book. Our two children love sitting inside - and so does their father - to sneak a quiet read of the Sunday papers. The only downside on this wonderful outdoor house, has been the plague of wasps which for some reason appear attracted to something exuded from the willow. Glad to say, the wasps have now gone.... Great book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Family Gardens
This book was bought as a present for someone with a family of three kids, who has recently took an interest in gardening, he found it informative with lots of good ideas. Read more
Published 10 months ago by jon-mos
5.0 out of 5 stars
The gardening book I've been searching for!
I've amassed quite a collection of gardening books in my search for the book to help me turn a small plot into the perfect garden for a child to play in, but I have found The One... Read more
Published 14 months ago by S. Corbett
5.0 out of 5 stars
Family Gardens
Book arrived promptly and in excellent condition as described. Had planned to give it as a gift to my son who is really into recycling and I think he thought it was new. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Hilary
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice but...
This is a nice book. It's got some lovely photos and some lovely ideas. I've had it almost a year and haven't done any of the projects yet even though I keep it to hand. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Unleavened
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Book for Gardening with Children
We gave this book to my sister and our nieces, who were interested in creating a magical fairy garden in their yard.
Lots of ideas to use and not too difficult to follow. Read more
Lots of ideas to use and not too difficult to follow. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Lynda van
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than just a good looking book
At first glance this looks like a coffee-table book full of aspirational photographs that are only achievable for the very rich, but in fact it is full of practical advice... Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2010 by stirfry
5.0 out of 5 stars
Family Gardens
Got to be one of the most enticing gardening books for families. Fantastic ideas and beautiful pictures.
Published on 5 Sep 2010 by Katie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what we needed!
We have 3 kids that need a 'family' garden and we wanted to turn ours into exactly that but we only had a slight idea of what we wanted. Read more
Published on 12 May 2010 by B. Vowler
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